Boca Raton To Strut Its Stuff During Festival

July 30, 1987|By BARBARA J. DURKIN, Staff Writer

BOCA RATON -- With a formally-attired flamingo as mascot this year, Boca Festival days are back once again to lure people out of their homes to dance, get their palms read, indulge in some wine tasting and participate in a variety of events.

This is the 10th year for the festival, initially designed by the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce to give local merchants a boost as business slumps to its lowest point during August.

``The quality of the events are the best`` this year, said Pam Wilson, director of communications for the chamber. The festival events are expected to entice residents out of their homes and into various shopping centers, restaurants and hotels.

But the festival has grown into more than just a business-booster, Wilson said.

``It has a lot of different facets,`` she said. ``It`s become a community- wide (project) for people to have a good time.``

Wilson said she expects ``tons`` of people to participate in the festival days. In 1985, nearly 50,000 people turned out.

Tickets are already on sale for the events and many of them are going fast.

With the top-hatted flamingo as a symbol for the events, a highlight of the month is expected to be the Flamingo Strut on Aug. 23, Wilson said. The downtown parade, sponsored by Siemens A.G. to benefit a local treatment center for abused and neglected children, will feature business-sponsored units doing individual versions of a flamingo strut.

And in the midst of the festival days, the 18th annual Boca Expo also will take place. The expo, an annual business and industry fair, will be in the Florida Atlantic University Gymnasium on Aug. 14-16. There will be a food fair, and 148 businesses displaying their wares. Free advance tickets are available for the event, which will cost $1 at the door. For information, call 395-4433.

The International Winefest at the Boca Pointe Country Club will kick off the festival tomorrow. The event will be bigger than ever this year, to avoid having to turn away wine-seekers, as happened last year. The winefest will be from 6 to 8 p.m. and will provide a sampling of wines and imported cheeses. Tickets cost $12.50 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 368-4969 for information.

If ice cream is more your style, the Festival Scoop, at the Sheraton Hotel, will offer an ice cream social featuring an ice cream eating contest on Aug. 2. For information, call 391-2238.

Those interested in looking into their futures can visit the Psychic Fair at Best Western Inn, 2700 N. Federal Highway, Aug.7-9.